In the GDC 2015 event, Valve had announced the presence of a
device called Steam Link. At that time, Valve didn't reveal the detail of this
device, but now approaching the release schedule that has been promised,
finally the detail of Steam Link is disclosed.
To make it easier to understand, just consider that the
Steam Link is a device that bridges the PC in the bedroom and the TV in the
living room, forwarding almost the entire games that run on the PC to the TV.
If previously you had to rely on a long HDMI cable to do it, Steam Link wants
to simplify all processes by involving the local network.
Steam Link is ready to present the games in resolution of
1080p 60 fps on your TV. You don't need to worry about the lag; as long as both
of PC and Steam Link are connected to the local network via Ethernet cable -
not Wi-Fi - everything will go smoothly.
Physically, Steam Link is very concise, only as big as
external hard drive. The connectivity includes an Ethernet port, HDMI, Wi-Fi
AC, Bluetooth 4.0 and 3x USB 2.0. The installation is also fairly easy.
First you need to connect the Steam Link to a router via Ethernet
cable, and then to a TV via HDMI connection. Furthermore, Steam Link will
automatically find your PC that's also connected to the router. Connect the
controller to Steam Link, and then you are ready to play the games in front of
the TV.
From here you might think that Steam Link is only compatible
with the Steam Controller. Not really; you can also connect the controller of
Xbox One or 360 (either with cable or not), and the Logitech Wireless Gamepad
F710.
As promised, Steam Link will soon be marketed from November 10,
2015 for $ 49.99, along with Steam Controller which is also released at the
same price. This device is compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac as well.